Lazy summer days can easily be one of the best things a person can look forward to. Not waking up until late in the morning, not having to get dressed unless necessary. Unless of course your husband was trying to get you to wake up when you spent most of the night watching Hannibal Lecter movies and finishing at least three books you had read at the same time. So, when Severus was trying to wake up his wife by nudging her shoulder repeatedly, he should've expected the reaction she gave him. Once Alice had enough of his nudging she grabbed his pillow and slapped him in the face with it. "Leave me be, Severus," she growled.

"Alice, wake up. It is nearly noon," he replied, tossing the pillow back where it belonged.

"Your point? Normally you don't give a rat's ass"

"Yes, well you agreed to go to Diagon Alley with Lucius and Draco"

"Son of a..! That was today?" Alice asked sitting up on her arm, pushing her messy strange colored bangs away from her eyes. Severus nodded in response, causing her to groan. Mixing a large book hangover with shopping that was not for more books to read was not how she planned to spend the day. Of course she had to finish three books and four movies before a shopping trip. Maybe she could go to Hastings later and add to her "To Read" pile.

Slipping out of bed, she went and got ready for the day, making a bit of food afterwards, then headed to Malfoy Manor. Once she got there, She spelled away the ashes before Draco came running up to her, pretty excited. Alice laughed at this, the boy was hardly ever excited like this. "Alice, guess what? Father said that he would take me to Knockturn Alley today, so I could see what it is like," Draco told her.

Alice's eyes flew to Lucius, "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Lucius told him," I told him I would. As long as he touches nothing in the shop,"

"Well have fun with that. I'll meet you guys somewhere then. The magical Menagerie," Alice responded, before heading to the fireplace and to Diagon Alley.

Once there she made sure the pair both came out of the Floo before heading to the pet shop. Over the summer, she and her cousins decided it was about time they started getting owls to send to each other. She walked in and was surprised to find how many animals were in there since she last stepped foot in the shop. There was definitely more than the standard animals students used.

Alice wandered around for a bit, looking at the different types of owls. She couldn't figure out which one, but she knew one thing was for certain. She was not getting a Snowy Owl. Harry already had one of those, but she still wanted something different. It was when she made the next turn of her head that she saw a simple, yet elegant Barn Owl. Alice knew there weren't many, if any, Barn Owls at the school, plus it would help her grandfather better than the cats back home, so she figure it was perfect.

She went to the shop owner and asked how much it was, thankfully he wasn't a lot. He was placed in a cage and under a harmless sleeping spell that would make it easier for him to travel with.

Alice was out in almost no time, and saw Lucius and Draco coming towards her. "An owl? After all these years?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, shut up," was her response "Bookstore first? Draco just ran in there,"

Lucius nodded since he saw it happen, but when they got in there, Draco was already starting trouble with the Weasley family, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. Alice rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance. Not even the beginning of the school year and she was ready to smack her godson upside the head. She listened as Lucius backed his son, grinning at the pair. They may act like arrogant men but she knew that it was all an act. You had to really know the Malfoy's to know how they were.

It was when Arthur came up that things got a bit ugly. He made a snide comment about Arthur's family sinking no lower when Arthur attacked him. A fight broke out but it was impossible to pry the two apart. Unless you're Hagrid, then it's almost as if it were a stripping a piece of velcro. Arthur had a split lip while Lucius would be sporting a black eye soon from the encyclopedia he had been hit with. Lucius ended that confrontation quickly, thrusting Ginny Weasley's Transfiguration book that was in hs hand back at her, and left with Draco. Alice stayed behind to make sure Arthur was alright before catching up with the pair.

##############################################################################

AN: Short, but it gets the story started. Hope you guys will enjoy the third installment of my Portkey Travelers series. well Traveler i guess.